Actor, rapper Riz Ahmed to speak at Northwestern

Riz Ahmed wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie during the Emmy Awards on Sept. 17, 2017. Ahmed, a rapper, actor and activist, will speak on campus March 16 at an event hosted by the Muslim-cultural Students Association.

Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Riz Ahmed wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie during the Emmy Awards on Sept. 17, 2017. Ahmed, a rapper, actor and activist, will speak on campus March 16 at an event hosted by the Muslim-cultural Students Association.

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British actor, rapper and activist Riz Ahmed will speak on campus March 16 as part of an event hosted by the Northwestern Muslim-cultural Students Association, in collaboration with the South Asian Student Alliance.

Ahmed won an Emmy Award as the lead actor on HBO series “The Night Of,” and appears in the films “Nightcrawler” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” He is half of the hip hop duo Swet Shop Boys, and also has worked as an activist, raising funds and awareness for refugees.

McSA president Sarah Khan said the group is excited to bring a Muslim who has been successful in Hollywood and also involved in activist work. Khan said she hopes the event will highlight Ahmed’s intersectional experience and bring up issues that can go ignored on NU’s campus.

“We just wanted to bring in someone who can speak to and address those kinds of issues,” the Weinberg senior said, “especially being of color and of a marginalized identity in Hollywood and mainstream media.”

The event will be held in Ryan Auditorium at the Technological Institute, according to the Facebook event page, and will be free and open to the public.